To be fair, the official D&D rules call it “Two-Weapon Fighting”. Not sure if it’s to avoid this confusion.
Identical weapons are what I typically picture in that scenario, but it makes sense mechanically to allow different types (especially with a rapier/dagger combo being a thing in a lot of fantasy, and probably historically? I dunno).
I probably am also getting mixed memories from playing TMNT/palladium, which had some kind of specialization for two of the same weapons… unless my brain is absolute tapioca, which, considering the hellscape out there, isn’t much of a stretch…
There are three things in the rules that I’m aware of that talk about fighting with two weapons:
There is a subsection in the basic rules called Two-Weapon Fighting. These are the base rules for anyone using two weapons (BA attack without ability modifier, must use light weapons)
There is also a fighting style called Two-Weapon Fighting available to fighters and a couple of specific subclasses (Swashbuckler has that option, I think). This fighting style allows you to add your ability modifier to the off-hand attack.
There is a feat called Dual Wielding (Player’s Handbook) that grants additional bonuses: the weapons don’t have to be light, a +1 AC bonus, and you’re able to draw or stow both weapons at once.
The 2024 / 5.5e version rules no longer have the “two-weapon fighting” subsection - the rule is now merged into the description of the ‘light’ weapon property
![Dual Wielding [Dungeons & Dragons]](https://lemmy.blahaj.zone/pictrs/image/cac0f467-f0d7-4bd4-a82d-65eace9616a2.webp){kind=link}
weird… am I the only one who grew up w/ ‘dual wielding is two weapons of the same kind’ table rule? hence, the dual label…
DW in real life means that you have two weapons, of any kind. It literally means that you are wielding two. Not a pair.
is there something in 5e for paired weapons then?
guess that makes sense.
Rapier and main gauche was my first idea of dual wielding, shrug
To be fair, the official D&D rules call it “Two-Weapon Fighting”. Not sure if it’s to avoid this confusion.
Identical weapons are what I typically picture in that scenario, but it makes sense mechanically to allow different types (especially with a rapier/dagger combo being a thing in a lot of fantasy, and probably historically? I dunno).
that is helpful.
I probably am also getting mixed memories from playing TMNT/palladium, which had some kind of specialization for two of the same weapons… unless my brain is absolute tapioca, which, considering the hellscape out there, isn’t much of a stretch…
Not completely right
(5.5e) Two-weapon fighting is a Fighting Style that only some classes can get.
Dual Wielder is a general Feat that any character of level 4 with str or dex 13 or higher can take.
Anyone can dual wield when their main weapon has the Light property.
There are three things in the rules that I’m aware of that talk about fighting with two weapons:
That is true, for the 2014 (5e) version
The 2024 / 5.5e version rules no longer have the “two-weapon fighting” subsection - the rule is now merged into the description of the ‘light’ weapon property
Most real life dual wielded weapons were not matched, sword and dagger, katana (one handedb long sword) and wakizashi (short sword)
Probably, considering the meaning of dual